Coping
by SasukePrismaColor
Summary: Asuna finds herself broken after Itachi's death, while Daichi tires to help his daughter. ItachiAsuna, set after Itachi's death.
1. Coping

Coping  
Summary: Asuna finds herself broken after Itachi's death, while Daichi tires to help his daughter.  
Maturity: Implications of marriage and pregnancy.  
Fantasy: None  
Pairing: ItaAsu  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
Note: Every. Freaking. Time I watch Itachi's death I feel like I am about to bawl. It breaks my heart. :(

~~~~~  
Asuna has never known how to cope with the death of someone close to her. When her mother died, Asuna spent her time locked up in her room bawling into her pillow, wishing it was just a bad dream that she would wake from in just a few short minutes. Her father knew this was a trait passed down by her mother, who had done the same after two miscarriages.

This time, however, Asuna wasn't crying into her pillow. In fact, she wasn't crying at all. She was just staring at the wall, a blank look on her face. Daichi had tried multiple times to get his seveneen-year-old daughter to sleep, but she didn't even acknowledge him, still staring at the wall.

"Asuna, please." Daichi gave Asuna a concerned look as she finally looked at him, his heart breaking at her face. "You need sleep. Think of the baby."

Asuna stared at him, before instantly looking down at her stomach, wishing the baby inside her would stop kicking, stop reminding her that his or her father was not going to be a part of their life.

"I can't stop thinking about him…"

"I know, Asuna."

Daichi understood all too well how it felt to lose a loved one, a spouse. He and Asari barely had thirteen years before she died, but Asuna and Itachi didn't even have a year, not even six months. It must have been worse, he thought. Being married for such a short time, finding out about a precious child, before he had died.

Although Asuna knew the way it happened, that final battle between brothers, she couldn't hate Sasuke. There wasn't a bone in her body that wanted to hate him, she knew why it happened. They were both her dear friends when she was a child, though only one of them became so much more.

Sasuke had tried, multiple times, to try and help Asuna, apologizing profusely once he found out the truth behind Itachi's actions. Asuna just gave him a broken smile each time and said she forgave, understanding that he knew nothing about what happened at the time. He didn't know why, but Sasuke had an uneasy feeling she was just lying.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Asuna?"

Asuna opened her mouth to speak, before closing and shaking her head.

"If you talk, it helps. Trust me."

"…why does it hurt so much?"

Daichi could just hear the tears threatening to break though, believing it took every bit of her not to cry as she spoke.

"Because you loved him. You don't know this, but when your mother died, I contemplated suicide multiple times."

Asuna's eyes widened and she finally looked up to him, shock written all over her place. "…what?"

Daichi gave her a sad smile, before nodding. "Daisuke is the only that knew. He stopped me before I could force myself to overdose on some old medications. Daisuke caught me, just a few months after your mother died. I was just about to take a number of the pills, before your brother broke into my room and tried to tell me you had broken your arm, but he stopped when he saw the pills. His eyes just widened and then he set such a glare at me. He said 'I can't believe you would seriously leave us like that!' before he ran back downstairs to you. That was when I realized I couldn't kill myself; I had to care for you and your brothers."

Asuna had listened intently the entire time, just staring, before she nodded. "Dad, do you think I can do this? Raise a baby?"

Daichi gave Asuna a smile, before finally walking over to her and kissing her forehead. "Of course. You are your mother's daughter. You may be younger than she was when we were expecting Souta, but, you will be fine, I know. I believe Itachi is your guardian angel, Asuna. He won't let anything happen to you or your child."

She took in a breath, before letting it out as she nodded, lying down for the first time in over twenty-four hours. Daichi grabbed her blanket, pulling it up over her, kissing his daughter's forehead once more.

"Asuna, you're going to be fine. And I know you're going to have a healthy, strong son."

Asuna nodded, staring at the wall once again after Daichi left the room.

"Please… please don't let my baby be taken from me, Lord… he's all I have left of Itachi…"

**END  
**

* * *

**Author's Note:** I have _never_ written about Asuna's feelings after Itachi's death. This was hard, because I had to run it through my head how her emotions would be going, but then, numbness just felt like the best one for her.  
She loved him so much.  
This, also, is the first time I have ever addressed how Asuna's father felt after his wife died suddenly.  
There will be a second chapter up in the morning/afternoon.  
There will also be a new cover once I get on my mom's laptop in the morning/afternoon.


	2. Healing

Healing

Summary: Five years after Itachi's death, Asuna has finally found healing with the help of her son.

Maturity: None

Fantasy: None

Pairing: Past-ItaAsu

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Reyke Uchiha was born late on Christmas Day, just a few days after his mother's eighteenth birthday. Asuna was still trying to find healing from Itachi's death, and found it the second she held their son. All Asuna could do was smile at him, and tell him how much she was in love with him.

"You are perfect. I hope you'll grow up and look like your father."

The little baby blinked his dark eyes, before yawning and stretching his arms over his head. Asuna laughed, kissing him on the forehead.

"I promise, Reyke, I will protect you and love you forever."

* * *

"Mama, look! Flower!" Reyke gave his mother a smile as he handed her a flower he found in their yard, making Asuna smile back at him.

"Thank you, darling! Mama loves it!" Asuna kissed his forehead, making Reyke's smile grow bigger as he ran off to play with his cousin Sanosuke.

"He's gotten big, Asuna." Sakura smiled at her sister-in-law, earning one in return.

"He is. All I wish is that Itachi could see him. he would be so proud."

Sakura continued smiling, looking back to Reyke and her son. Reyke had yet to ask Asuna any questions about Itachi, because he was quite sure it was a touchy subject with her. Sakura, however, knew Reyke wanted to know about his father. He had asked Sasuke multiple questions about Itachi, receiving very few answers, but taking everything and putting it away as a good memory.

"I'll tell him one day."

"Hm?"

"About Itachi. I'll tell him everything. He'll know that his daddy was a hero."

Sakura stared at Asuna, noticing her smile.

"That's good, Asuna."

Asuna nodded, still watching her child and his younger cousin play. It may have taken a while, but she finally received her healing.

_Reyke, I'm so glad I have you._

* * *

"Hey, ma?"

Asuna lifted her head, giving a smile to Reyke, her now thirteen-year-old son. "What is it, sweetie?"

Reyke opened his mouth, before closing it and shifting from one foot to the other. "Can you tell me about dad now?"

Asuna blinked, before sighing and nodding. Reyke's face brightened as he ran over and crawled in bed beside her, only to be pulled into a hug. Reyke groaned as she started to fix his hair.

"Mom…"

"You look like him, your father. You have his eyes. He had the same hair color as you. Uchiha genes are the dominant genes."

Reyke just stared at Asuna, noticing her face took on a sad look as she spoke. "Mom, if you don't-"

"Your dad… he was a great person, a hero. Your dad was Itachi Uchiha. He lived a villain, but died a hero. However, he was so much more than that… he was the love of my life and your loving father."

Reyke smiled as Asuna did. As the story went on, Reyke happily listened, smile when his mother did, frowning as she did. The story had so many downs, all in the beginning and middle. Even though the ups came near the end, Reyke understood something.

His mother loved his father, and still did. He even understood that his father loved his mother, even though they were together for just a few short months.

_Mom's found her healing… Dad, I hope you're happy too._

**END**

* * *

**Q&A**

**Q:** How long were Itachi and Asuna married before he died?  
**A:** Five months.**  
**

**Q:** How far along in her pregnancy was she in the first chapter?  
**A:** Seven months. It would have been the eighth month of her marriage with Itachi.

**Q:** What does Reyke mean?  
**A:** It's a different way to spell the name Reiki, which means, according to the BabyNames website, Japanese Spiritual Healing Practice. It was the best name I could find that fit.

**Q:** Does he look like Itachi?  
**A:** Duh. Of course.

**Q:** Itachi's really dead, isn't he? :(  
**A:** Yup. I hate it too, trust me.

And that's the end of this little two-shot. Asuna has found her healing, and may move on in the future. I doubt it though. I like using the one true love part for pairings, it makes it that much more sweet when they get together.


End file.
